Each year the PhD’s from CWI organize a weekend trip. This year the young mathematics and information technologists of the national research institute chose Texel.
Science is fun. Especially when you are on a shrimp boat catching fresh seafood or when you visit a world-renowned natural reserve like the Slufter. The CWI crew enjoyed both; island adventures that enabled the young pioneers to experience the true authenticity of Texel.
EXCURSION IN THE SLUFTER
Of course the Royal NIOZ was glad to send two of its young experts to the Slufter. Eveline Mezger, PhD working on a novel approach for reconstructing past salinities at the Marine Geology and Chemical Oceanography department and Marc Besseling, PhD working on lipid-based paleotemperature proxies at the Marine Organic Biogeochemistry Department, presented the true beauty of this unique environment.
‘An ecosystem like the Slufter is the sum of dozens of developments -up, under and above. It is majestic and intelligent. So it was easy to catch the attention of the CWI PhD’s,’ Eveline Mezger says.
TX 35 TOUR
The Texel trip also took the CWI PhD’s out to sea. On the TX 35 they embarked for some sustainable tourism on the Wadden Sea, the UNESCO World heritage that is known to be a breeding chamber for dozens of fish and bird species. Several seals were spotted.
‘It is quite surprising to see the biological exuberance when you cruise along the dikes into the Wadden Sea. And we were there at the right moment: in spring,’ Mrunal Gawade says.
The knowledge of ones and zeros came in handy when the PhD’s battled each other in a volleyball match later that day. Followed with a traditional Texel BBQ menu starring the catch of the day. On Sunday the group of 20 PhD’s returned to the mainland.
Source:
workingatnioz.com
